KINGSTON, N.Y. -- Kingston High senior Julian Mackrel made the next step in his academic and athletic career by deciding to attend Princeton University as an Ivy League student-athlete next fall.

Mackrel accepted financial assistance from the prestigious school in the form of a full-tuition ride and he will participate on the Tigers men's swimming team.

The cost of tuition at Princeton is approximately $46,000 per year.

The university received more than 26,000 applications this year and accepted only 8 percent.

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Mackrel plans to major in mechanical and aerospace engineering.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet and probably won't until I step on campus," Mackrel said. "Grades, obviously, were very important and being able to swim there is an added bonus.

"I'm really looking forward to it."

Mackrel, who swims competitively with the Northern Dutchess Aquatic Club, established himself as someone that Ivy League schools would court after becoming a scholastic All-American who carries a grade point average above 3.50.

He also had to have previously swam junior national "B" cut times.

"I hadn't really thought about Ivy League schools, but Cornell contacted me first, then Princeton, Harvard and Columbia," he said. "Princeton and Harvard have the more competitive swim teams and a while ago I thought I was going to go to Harvard.

"When it came down to it, I felt more comfortable at Princeton and they really seemed more excited about the newcomers than they did at Harvard."

Mackrel narrowly missed qualifying at the Olympic Trials earlier this year, but did make his way into two "A" finals at the junior nationals in October in Tennessee.

At Princeton, Mackrel figures to compete in the 50-yard freestyle, 100 freestyle and possibly the 100 butterfly.

"Definitely the shorter distances," Mackrel predicted as his starting events. "It's so rewarding that all of the hours in the pool and studying are paying off. I've had a chance to talk with the coach (Rob Orr) and the sprint coach (Mitch Dalton), and I spent a few days there meeting the team and sitting in on a few classes.

"It gave me a sense of what life is like there in two days."

The Tigers won their fourth consecutive Ivy League title last year and are currently ranked 23rd in the country.

Mackrel said he is anxious to get to the campus and compete in what he called a "gorgeous" pool facility.

"It's a newer complex and the pool is huge," he said. "It's like the size of a warehouse.

"The school has a really strong alumni network, so I'm figuring the meets are well attended. Last year, they had the Ivy League championships there and it was standing room only."